Marriner one of the best in Europe - Mourinho

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho says he believes the injury-time penalty awarded to his side to salvage a point against West Bromwich Albion was fair.

Mourinho was seconds from losing his first ever Premier League game at Stamford Bridge before midfielder Ramires was bundled over by Steven Reid and referee Andre Marriner pointed to the spot - which Eden Hazard converted to earn a 2-2 draw.

When questioned about the decision, Mourinho said: "Yes, I think it was a penalty. I watched it from different angles. I'm sure it was a penalty.

"The referee [Andre Marriner] is one of the best referees in the country - if not in Europe. I wasn't happy with his performance today because I feel he made too many mistakes but as I've said Andre is on of the best referees."

Mourinho added that he felt West Brom's second goal should have been disallowed for a foul on Branislav Ivanovic, adding: "It is a big free-kick, just in front of the fourth official.

"That's where I think the fourth official's job is. Instead of looking to see if the manager is in his technical area or not, he should participate in the game."

He said he was delighted by the way in which his players had responded to going 2-1 down after Samuel Eto'o struck the opener. "After their second goal, our reaction could have been we die or we fight for life, and the team fought for life and threw everything into attack," he explained.

And he praised Hazard's calm conversion from the spot, explaining: "Penalties are easy to score in training sessions - I score - as they are when you are winning 3-0 or 4-0, but this was a difficult one and the kid was very calm."

Frustrated Clarke, Mourinho's former assistant at Chelsea, said: "I am flabbergasted at the decision - I cannot believed the referee gave it. What is the point of talking to the referee? I cannot change the decision.

"[Ramires] started going down early before the contact, so you guys can put a label on it if you want. For me, the onus is on the referee to make the correct decision, and he did not make it."